The solar industry has been the center of debate, with major companies in the sector filing for bankruptcy after receiving federal or state funds.

MIDLAND — Shiny, metallic roof shingles that power your home and are made in Midland hit the U.S. market this month.

During the annual Dow Chemical Co. Investor Day in New York City on Tuesday, officials announced that Dow Powerhouse Solar Shingles will enter the U.S. market this month, starting in Colorado and rolling into 12 targeted states through 2012. Dow officials declined to comment if Michigan is one of those states.

The solar shingle is a roofing product that protects a home and creates power using built-in solar cells. Chief Executive Officer Andrew N. Liveris told more than 150 investors Tuesday the solar shingle is “integral to Dow’s transformation, and a key part of its strategy to invent and innovate new technologies.”

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“It is also clear that the continued success of the global solar industry will require the kind of technical excellence, market insight, ease of adoption and manufacturing know-how that is embedded in the Dow Powerhouse product and at the core of Dow’s strengths,” Liveris said in a statement.

In announcing the debut of the shingles Tuesday, Dow officials did not include specifics on pricing. They said the cost to homeowners depends on several factors.

“The specific cost of the Powerhouse Solar Shingles will vary from home to home and will depend on a number of factors including location and orientation of the home, energy output objectives and more,” said Kasey Anderson, a Dow spokeswoman.

An estimated cost for Michigan homeowners — with tax credits — to install solar shingles and an energy converter box is between $10,000 and $15,000, said Dow Spokesman Greg Baldwin.

Liveris has called the solar shingle a game changer that will address an estimated $5 billion market by 2015. In 2009, Time magazine named the solar shingles as one of the top 50 inventions of the year.

The solar shingles are currently being manufactured at a pilot plant in Midland while a brand new manufacturing facility is built on Poseyville Road near Smithfield Park. The new plant is expected to begin production in 2012 and create 1,275 jobs by 2015.

As a new roofing option, Dow officials say the best time to buy a solar roof is when purchasing a new home, or replacing an existing roof due to repair.

Colorado was chosen as the first state because of homebuilder D.R. Horton, which has been ranked as the nation’s top homebuilder for nine consecutive years by Builder Magazine.

Locally, Freeland-based Cobblestone Homes built a demonstration net-zero energy home at 5018 Butterfield Drive in Midland that features the solar shingles. Gov. Rick Snyder toured the home in June, praising the technology.